General Information
The European Starling, or the Sturnus vulgaris, is a bird from southern and western Europe and Western Asia. Also called the Common Starling or just simply, the Starling. It is a part of the passerine bird family. This means that it is a smaller bird. It is also a songbird and a perching bird (2).
European Starling, adult, non-breeding plumage
Detailed Description
There are minor differences between the male starling and the female starling. The males are slightly larger and they have longer throat feathers. On the other hand, some of the female starling can be larger and their feathers are more glossy and breed in the spring. The male starlings eyes are a dark brown color, while the female starling has lighter, more narrow eyes. On average, they are about six inches long and they weigh from 60 to 90 grams. They have a small wingspand ranging from about 12 to 16 inches. For most of the year they have a pointed yellow bill. In the fall, their bills turn darker. Also in the fall, they get white spots that are scattered around the head and body. Their wings are pointed and triangular and their tails are short (2) Starling are usually seen flying in large flocks. They usually nest about two or three times every year. The females lay about five eggs and sits on them for about two weeks (5). The European Starling is very similar to blackbirds, cowbirds and grackles. The female European Starling sometimes lays its eggs in other birds nests. This is a parasitic act. Also ,they are aggressive and bullish to the other native birds. They kill the other adult birds and eat their eggs (1).
European Starling eggs
Habitat and Distribution
Starlings mainly live in disturbed areas and areas where there are humans. They can be found in just about all habitats except large, undisturbed forest areas and undeveloped areas. They require nesting cavities. In the 1890's, one hundred birds were released in Central Park in NY. The Starlings have spread widely around the US. Today, there are over 200 million Starlings. They can be found all over from Alaska to Florida and northern Mexico (1). Impacts
The European Starling mainly have a negative and damaging effect.
Public Health and agricultural damage- The starling's droppings may have acted as a reserve to many diseases from psittacosis, salmonelloses and encephalitis. The starling can carry and transmit diseases (4).
Structural damage- Starlings live in giant flocks. They destroy the surface of structures with their messy droppings. They destroy styrofoam, fiberglass, mineral, and other material used to make houses, buildings, etc. They also build nests in electrical panels and boxes causing shortages and maybe fires (4).
Environmental Damage- Starlings are very aggressive and when they adapt with the north american birds, they have a negative impact on the less aggressive birds. They eat the eggs of other birds and kill the other adult birds and steal their nests (3)
Economic Damage- They affect the health of humans, wild animals and livestock with the diseases that they carry. Also we have to repair the damages that they have caused on structures such as houses and buildings (4).
European Starling
European Starling, adult, breeding plumage
General InformationThe European Starling, or the Sturnus vulgaris, is a bird from southern and western Europe and Western Asia. Also called the Common Starling or just simply, the Starling. It is a part of the passerine bird family. This means that it is a smaller bird. It is also a songbird and a perching bird (2).
Detailed Description
There are minor differences between the male starling and the female starling. The males are slightly larger and they have longer throat feathers. On the other hand, some of the female starling can be larger and their feathers are more glossy and breed in the spring. The male starlings eyes are a dark brown color, while the female starling has lighter, more narrow eyes. On average, they are about six inches long and they weigh from 60 to 90 grams. They have a small wingspand ranging from about 12 to 16 inches. For most of the year they have a pointed yellow bill. In the fall, their bills turn darker. Also in the fall, they get white spots that are scattered around the head and body. Their wings are pointed and triangular and their tails are short (2) Starling are usually seen flying in large flocks. They usually nest about two or three times every year. The females lay about five eggs and sits on them for about two weeks (5). The European Starling is very similar to blackbirds, cowbirds and grackles. The female European Starling sometimes lays its eggs in other birds nests. This is a parasitic act. Also ,they are aggressive and bullish to the other native birds. They kill the other adult birds and eat their eggs (1).
Habitat and Distribution
Starlings mainly live in disturbed areas and areas where there are humans. They can be found in just about all habitats except large, undisturbed forest areas and undeveloped areas. They require nesting cavities. In the 1890's, one hundred birds were released in Central Park in NY. The Starlings have spread widely around the US. Today, there are over 200 million Starlings. They can be found all over from Alaska to Florida and northern Mexico (1).
Impacts
The European Starling mainly have a negative and damaging effect.
Public Health and agricultural damage- The starling's droppings may have acted as a reserve to many diseases from psittacosis, salmonelloses and encephalitis. The starling can carry and transmit diseases (4).
Structural damage- Starlings live in giant flocks. They destroy the surface of structures with their messy droppings. They destroy styrofoam, fiberglass, mineral, and other material used to make houses, buildings, etc. They also build nests in electrical panels and boxes causing shortages and maybe fires (4).
Environmental Damage- Starlings are very aggressive and when they adapt with the north american birds, they have a negative impact on the less aggressive birds. They eat the eggs of other birds and kill the other adult birds and steal their nests (3)
Economic Damage- They affect the health of humans, wild animals and livestock with the diseases that they carry. Also we have to repair the damages that they have caused on structures such as houses and buildings (4).
History
The European Starling originated in Eurasia. In the 1890's, one hundred European Starlings were introduced to Central Park in New York. The quickly adapted to life in North America. They were strongly settled in the Northeast. They now range in California to New York and all states in between (3).
Control Measures
The European starlings are disturbances in large flocks in certain areas. To Control this, food, water, and shelter has been removed from their nesting areas. The removal of there nests and nesting sites controls them also (5).
Work Cited
1. **http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/European_Starling.html**
2. http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i4930id.html
3. http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird_details.aspx?id=360
4. http://www.globalbirdcontrol.com/pests/starlings.htm
5. http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/wildlife/directory_show.cfm?species=starling
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